KA-SAT is a communications satellite, Europe's first satellite with an exclusively Ka-band communications payload. The craft carries 82 Ka-band spot beams to provide 70 Gbit/s of capacity across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Each of its beams can handle up to 900 Mbit/s of two-way communications traffic. KA-SAT will park in a geosynchronous orbital location at 9° E. The expected operational life of KA-SAT is 15 years